Remembering
by Alasse Greyhame
Summary: Boromir and others remember their first meeting with Gandalf. Set in Lothlorien movie-verse. Also can be considered AU.


Remembering

_The Professor's characters belong to him and not to me. This can be considered AU for anything that might happen but just because of what we don't know. I make no money of this so please don't sue. I hope you enjoy. _

Boromir sat in the quiet of Lothlorien. He had talked to the Ranger last night he had wanted to tell him more about his burden, his fears for his father and about the whispers of the Ring. He wondered what the wizard would have made of it. For something to do with his hands while he thought he took out his sword and began to inspect it. As he looked over it he thought about the wizard. He was sorry that his father's mislike and distrust had clouded his own memories with the wizard. But he did have one memory. He had been four years old. _He had been playing in the gardens where he wasn't really supposed to be but then he smelled a smell. He rounded a corner and found an old man dressed all in grey except for a silver scarf, a huge staff was leaning against the wall and he was trying to light his pipe. He finally got it going and leaned back with a happy sigh. _

_Boromir frowned and he walked forward and stood in front of the old man and said as imperiously as a four year old can, "You aren't supposed to be here." _

_The old man opened his eyes and looked down at the little boy. The boy was standing with a frown on his face. His hands were on his hips and he was glaring at the old man. He had dried mud on his shirt and leggings. _

"_Well apparently neither are you little one." The old man smiled. " How about this? I tell you why I came here and you can tell me why you are here where neither of us are supposed to be eh?" the old man said. _

"_Seems fair to me but can I have your name first? Mine is Boromir." Boromir said _

"_And mine is Gandalf. I came here to think over what I've been reading in the archives. It's nice and quiet here and you can't beat the scenery. Now what did you come here?" Gandalf asked. _

"_I came here to get away from my nanny. She beats me. Mother is too busy for me today. Father is in meetings with Grandfather. Uncle went home yesterday and Captain Thorongil is out training men. So I came here to play with my soldiers but I've lost one and was looking for Thorongil to help me find it. He can always find lost things. He has sharp eyes." Boromir said. _

"_He does at that." Gandalf said with a smile. "But perhaps I can help you. Take me to where you were last and let us see." _

"_If you think you can help." Boromir said dubious. _

"_I'll give you a hint for later in life young one. Never despise a being based on what you can see sometimes the unseen is the most precious." Gandalf said. _

Boromir smiled. _Gandalf had found his missing soldier rather quickly and then asked what he had been fighting so fiercely. Boromir had told him he had been fighting Elendil's battle against the Enemy. Gandalf had chuckled and told him a few other things and he had said he wasn't telling the truth. Gandalf had frowned and said in his grumpiest tones, "I never lie boy. I never lie. Your great-great grandfather fought in that battle and he learned a lesson that day as well."_

"_Oh what lesson did he learn?" Boromir asked his curiosity roused. _

"_He met an elf that day and fell in love but she refused him…"_

"_What kind of lesson is that? If he loved her why did she leave him? Did she not love him?" Boromir asked. _

"_The One only knows little one. The lesson is one that will have to wait until you are older. For I think I hear your mother coming." Gandalf said. _

His mother had been coming she had been worried when she had gone to see if he was sleeping and found the nanny in tears and gone to look for him herself. She had found him with Gandalf playing soldiers with her son. Many years later, he had read for himself the story of his great-great grandfather. The wizard had been right it was a lesson for an adult and not a boy of four. He had finished his sword during his reverie and now he took out his knife.

"I thought I'd find you here." Aragorn said. "What were you thinking of?"

"My first memory of the wizard." Boromir said. "When you did first meet?"

"I met him later in life. I was five and twenty. I wanted to test my wings. Lord Elrond allowed me to do so. My trip was uneventful until I saw a fireworks display over the Trollshaws. I went to investigate and there was Gandalf lighting up a troop of goblins. One of them had gotten lucky though and hit him in the arm with an arrow. I helped him out of it but not without a few nicks of my own. He bandaged me and I did the same for him. We began talking and became friends. It was one of my favorite memories. But I think we are being observed."

"Trust the ears of a Ranger, especially one who has been trained by the Lord of the Golden Flowers." A female voice said from the trees.

There was a rustling over their heads and a woman leaped down from the trees. She landed on her feet in front of them. She bowed to both men and then seated herself on the grass. She sat there in silence for a few minutes studying both men. Yes she thought they will do nicely, provided the soldier can resist the Shadow.

"My first memory of the wizard was also born out of battle. He found me in Harad. I had been stolen from my family when I was small and I had been raised in Harad as a slave. Soldiers dragged the ragged man in grey into the square shouting that he was a spy. If any helped him at all it was death. I wanted death. I had prayed for it for years. I helped him to escape but they caught us both. When they found us a light sprang up in his eyes, he had determined not to go quietly. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen that light. It was then I realized I was more than just a slave I had been free and I would be free for all my days. I broke the leather straps they had bound me with thinking I wouldn't fight and I killed them took two horses and followed the wizard north. I have seen your city and I liked it for all its sad beauty. Perhaps when she has her King again she will not be so sad eh?"

"You never told us your name my lady." Boromir said.

"Forgive me. I do not mix much even with the elves here perhaps I'm too fond of my own company. I was looking forward to seeing Gandalf again. My name is Harimad. You can call me Hari for short. If it had a meaning it died with my master. I have a request my lords when you leave take me with you. Gandalf believed in you, both of you. I wish to honor that belief by coming with you to give my help (such as it is) to your quest. Will you have me?" Harimad asked.

Boromir looked at Aragorn both of them looked again at the elf woman. She was fair darker than any other elf they had seen. But the light in her eyes wasn't starlight like the others it could be called fire but yet it wasn't. Her weapons were different as well. She had a long straight sword like they were used to but her other weapons were different and varied. She had a strange looking crossbow, two long knives that reminded both men of the larger scimitars wielded by the Haradrim. Not one but two boot knives rested in her boots. She didn't have a bow but then two more shapes materialized out of the shadows of the trees both men jumped. They were huge cats. One was black with silver eyes. The other was tawny with black stripes and he had golden-green eyes. The silver eyed one walked over to Boromir and sniffed him, then it began to rub its face on his chest and then it laid down beside him and began to purr loudly. The other stared at Aragorn laid a small rabbit at his feet and then began to wash it's paws.

"Well at least with her and her friends around we wouldn't go hungry." Boromir said to Aragorn in Adunaic.

"Aye with four hobbits to consider it would be wise to bring her along." Aragorn replied in the same language.

"We should probably ask the hobbits about their memories of Gandalf." Boromir said softly adding, "They grieve still Frodo most of all."

"A good idea my brother I never thought of it. We shall do it tonight perhaps the elf and the dwarf could be persuaded to join us as well." Aragorn said.

"It is the wise general who looks after his men. You have not answered my question but perhaps you need time. Haldir or Orphir can find me. I bid you a good day my lords." Harimad said. She rose bowed again and backed away from them.

"What was that all about?" Aragorn asked.

"You mean you don't know?" Boromir said sounding surprised. "You're to be king and you don't know?"

"Well I would if _**someone would tell me**_." Aragorn said between clenched teeth.

Boromir laughed and then said, "Among the Haradrim it is considered rudeness to turn your back on your leader. She was showing respect. I suspect it was a hard lesson. She limps a little on her left side."

"I had noticed. Well we should be going. I promised Merry and Pippin we continue their lessons in swordplay. You go along. I will clean the rabbit. And don't look at me that way! Just because I can't hit the broadside of a barn doesn't mean I'm a complete dolt at cleaning game. I've done my share of hunting. I'll come as soon as I've finished it won't take me long this is a small rabbit." Boromir said.

"Well good because if you didn't come Merry and Pippin would be very disappointed. They've come to like you quite a bit you know." Aragorn said.

"Really? I hadn't noticed." Boromir said this with a straight face and level tone. When Aragorn looked back at him in shock he wanted to throw a rock at the man. For his green eyes were nearly incandescent with merriment.

"I can see I'm going to have to keep my eye on you Captain-General." Aragorn said.

"Oh really just one? Did you plan on losing your other eye somewhere on the way home?" Boromir said jumping to the left as this time a rock did come sailing in his direction.

Boromir was still smiling when he found the river he pulled out his knife and began skinning the rabbit. As he had predicted it was soon done but he didn't know what to do with the skin and the entrails until a figure materialized beside him in a swirl of mist.

"Don't do that again!" Boromir exclaimed.

"Did I scare you? I'm sorry it wasn't my intent. I just sensed your need for the shovel but at least now you know why I don't stay here or anywhere really often. The only one who would put up with my comings and goings is gone." Harimad said.

Boromir didn't answer her at first he was digging a small hole to put the unusable bits of the rabbit in it. When he finished that he bent to wash his hands in the stream as he stood up he sighed. Without a word she handed him a small towel.

"Thank you Hari. I don't believe Gandalf would want you to mourn that way. He is gone but his spirit is with us still as long as we his friends remember him he will never leave us. Now come along back with me. I have to rescue Aragorn from angry hobbits. Half a moment, where did the rabbit go?" Boromir said.

"I sent it to your campsite. It will boil nicely. The other hobbit Sam I believe his name says he will cook it for you. Whisper happened to find some potatoes and he left them on the Ranger's bed. You might want to warn him about the dirt. Sam tried his best but he's not tall enough to lift it." Hari said.

"Don't tell him. Let him find out for himself. I owe him for a rock anyway." Boromir said grinning.

"There are times I don't understand human behavior." Harimad said.

"Stick with us and you'll learn more than you wanted Hari." Boromir said reaching back for her hand as they stepped down the rock stairs to the training grounds.

She gave him her hand and smiled at him. This could be interesting she thought.


End file.
